


A Victorian Christmas

by karrenia_rune



Category: Alice In Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Genre: challenge community:50scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-17
Updated: 2011-05-17
Packaged: 2017-10-19 12:04:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/200663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two sisters and mischief, and  a conversation and traditions, at Christmas...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Victorian Christmas

Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are the original creations of Lewis Carroll as are all of the characters who appear here or are mentioned; they are not mine and are only 'borrowed' for the purposes of the story. Table 1,prompt #35 poem  
"A Victorian Christmas"

Alice and her sister were sitting in the hard benches as demurely as ever their mother or governess could have wished, hand folded in their laps. The lace of the gloves still clean after  
several hours of preparations for the noon meal that awaited the family and sundry guests and relatives after church services concluded. Still, it was most tiresome to listen to the pastor drone on and both children had begun to feel a wee bit bored.

Alice glanced around at the huge nave, trying to do so unobtrusively so that it would not be so obvious that she was looking around wondering at how rich the colors of the tapestries were and how in the wake of so many people that filled the church those wonderful colors still retained so much luster, and shimmer.

As big as the church was still Alice felt that if she could just reach out and touch she could find out for herself if the heavy velvet cloth truly were as soft and vibrant as it looked from the remove of where she sat. When her older sister moved a fraction of an inch and nudged her with her elbow.

"What is it, Alicia?"

"It just occurred to me," the older girl replied. "Did I not once make you a doll out of fabric of that same hue as that hanging over or row? It put in mind of it, just now."

"Yes, yes. I believe you did," Alice whispered back.

"I've heard tell that once Egyptian pharaohs got dye that rich from places as far distant as Tyre and it was a considered rare and very expensive to own garments of such a rich hue."

Alice smothered a giggle behind the lace veil of her dress and replied.

"I thought it was just because purple was my favorite colour."

"Silly goose," she sister replied. "You should really pay more attention at your lessons."

At that instant the service was winding down to its conclusion and the two girls left off the conversation as their governess came to fetch them and escort them out of the church.  
**  
Dinner was a lavishly understated affair complete with a roast orange duck, a green salad, beans, mashed potatoes, and a plum pudding for desert.  
**  
The candles were lit casting alternating bands of light and shadow around the living room. Alicia as the older of the Liddell girls had been pressed into service passing around trays of after dinner candies to the guests as they sipped brandy and coffee in the parlor and discussed whatever it was that grown-ups discussed. All the while as she made her fourth or was it the fifth round with the quickly diminishing tray of candy; Alicia had long since lost count, she did her level best to not pay attention to the discussion.  
"Oddly enough," thought Alicia there is definitely something to be said for the policy of our times for children to be seen and not heard. Still, if you ask me, sometimes, sometimes it might be good idea to loosen up a little."

She sighed and placed the now empty tray on a counter in the kitchen and stepped away to the sick to wash her hands and then towel dry. The evening was now far advanced and she wished to find  
Alice and help the governess prepare for both girls for bed.

Alice, although yawning and rubbing the backs of her eyes with her hands was far too keyed up to sleep, eager and anticipating the lovely gifts that she would be receiving in the morrow.

Alicia, although only several years Alice's elder was just as eager. She loved her sister, and would do anything for her, including listening to some of the wilder tales and adventures that she seemed to make up almost weekly; but sometimes that wild-eyed wonder did try on one's nerves every once in a while. Alice was still young enough that she believed in Kris Kringle and his elves, did she really wish to dispel that notion? Did she have the right to do so in any case? Did it really matter in the long run?

As she stepped out of her dress and into her nightgown and then into bed Alicia realized that the wonder of the holiday season was beginning to work on her more refined sensibilities. It was nice to be a child, and considered

'One does not have to act all grown up all the time, especially around this time of the year. There's magic and then there's the magic of the Yuletide Season.' She finally fell asleep with a happy smile on her face and anticipation of the morning to come in her heart.


End file.
